Why Peshawar Zalmi dropped Daren Sammy: The runner-up team’s decision to drop their captain has invited numerous responses.
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During the 15th match of the ongoing fifth season of the Pakistan Super League between Karachi Kings and Peshawar Zalmi in Rawalpindi, Peshawar Zalmi not including captain Daren Sammy into their Playing XI has invited numerous responses including a cryptic tweet from Sammy.
The surprising development was made public after after fast bowler Wahab Riaz made his way out for the toss. Peshawar had brought in all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite as Sammy’s replacement.
Coming in to bat at No. 7 in the 17th over, Brathwaite failed with the bat as he ended up scoring 8 (5) with the help of one six. In the two overs that Brathwaite bowled, he gave away 13 runs and dismissed Karachi Kings wicket-keeper batsman Chadwick Walton (22) as Zalmi couldn’t defend 152 runs.
ALSO WATCH: Mohammad Amir castles Haider Ali in Kings vs Zalmi match
Sammy, 36, had played four matches in PSL 2020 before getting dropped from the last match. In the only over that he bowled in the tournament, he picked a lone wicket of Quetta Gladiators captain Sarfaraz Ahmed. Sammy’s 44 runs in three innings had come at an average of 14.67.
Sammy, who was recently conferred with Nishan-e-Pakistan and honorary citizenship, didn’t shy away from taking to his social media platform Twitter account to express his disappointment regarding the axe. “I’ve learnt that you are important until you’ve completed your role,” read Sammy’s tweet.
I’ve learnt that you are important until you’ve completed your role. #dealingwithhumans
— Daren Sammy (@darensammy88) March 2, 2020
Why Peshawar Zalmi dropped Daren Sammy against Karachi Kings?
While Peshawar didn’t provide any reason behind dropping Sammy, renowned Pakistani journalist Waheed Khan has tweeted on the matter saying that Sammy was “rested” to give opportunity to Brathwaite. Furthermore, Sammy’s tweet hasn’t gone down well with Zalmi’s management and there are prospects of the veteran player missing the next match as well.
Darren Sammy was told to take a rest for the match against KK and he tweeted this..Zalmi management not happy and have told him this behavior/reaction not on…unlikely Sammy will play next game as Zalmi trying to settle on a combination. pic.twitter.com/VzoGZeSBUK
— Waheed Khan (@waheedkhan) March 3, 2020
With opening batsman Tom Banton and all-rounders in Liam Livingstone and Lewis Gregory also playing for Zalmi, the runners-up might just be looking to have a look at Brathwaite especially before West Indies limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard’s arrival in Pakistan.
Currently leading his team in Sri Lanka, 32-year old Pollard is expected to join Peshawar after the end of the second T20I against Sri Lanka on Marsh 6.
Possible fallout with Javed Afridi
If former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s comments on Pakistani channel Geo News are to be believed, Sammy has had a fallout with Peshawar Zalmi owner Javed Afridi. Akhtar also talked about how former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi (Javed Afridi’s cousin) left Zalmi after PSL 2017.
Eulogizing Sammy for playing a pivotal role in bringing back cricket to Pakistan, Akhtar believed that the move to drop him is unjustified and selfish and shouldn’t have happened. Watch the full video below:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=596811357564355
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